A patient presents with diarrhea and dehydration. A fecal smear stained by Gram's method revealed Gram-negative, comma-shaped bacteria. What is the causative agent?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Vibrio cholerae. Vibrio cholerae is the causative agent of cholera, which presents with severe watery diarrhea leading to dehydration. The characteristic comma-shaped (curved rod) appearance of Gram-negative bacteria is typical of Vibrio cholerae. This bacterium produces the cholera toxin, leading to the excessive secretion of fluid into the intestines. Salmonella typhi causes typhoid fever with symptoms like sustained fever, not watery diarrhea. Shigella dysenteriae causes bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Escherichia coli can cause various types of infections, but typically not severe watery diarrhea like cholera.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Vibrio cholerae. Vibrio cholerae is the causative agent of cholera, which presents with severe watery diarrhea leading to dehydration. The characteristic comma-shaped (curved rod) appearance of Gram-negative bacteria is typical of Vibrio cholerae. This bacterium produces the cholera toxin, leading to the excessive secretion of fluid into the intestines. Salmonella typhi causes typhoid fever with symptoms like sustained fever, not watery diarrhea. Shigella dysenteriae causes bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps. Escherichia coli can cause various types of infections, but typically not severe watery diarrhea like cholera.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Bacterial endospores. Bacterial endospores have a higher resistance to environmental stresses due to their unique structure, which includes a tough outer layer that protects the spore from harsh conditions such as heat, chemicals, and radiation. This protective layer allows endospores to remain dormant and survive in unfavorable environments until conditions improve. Summary: B: Fungal spores - While fungal spores can also survive in harsh conditions, they are generally not as resistant as bacterial endospores due to differences in their protective structures. C: Enveloped viruses - Enveloped viruses are susceptible to environmental stresses as their lipid envelope can easily be damaged by heat, chemicals, and other factors. D: Vegetative bacterial cells - Vegetative bacterial cells are more susceptible to environmental stresses compared to endospores, as they do not have the same level of protective mechanisms to survive in unfavorable conditions.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Streptococcus pneumoniae. 1. Gram-positive diplococci with pointed ends: characteristic morphology of Streptococcus pneumoniae. 2. Surrounded by a capsule: S. pneumoniae is encapsulated, important for virulence. 3. Klebsiella pneumoniae (B) is a Gram-negative rod, Neisseria meningitidis (C) is a Gram-negative diplococcus, and Staphylococcus aureus (D) is a Gram-positive cocci in clusters, not diplococci.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because all the options are essential for a PCR reaction. A: DNA segment is required as the template for amplification. B: Two oligonucleotide primers are needed to initiate DNA replication. C: Heat stable DNA polymerase (not just heat stable DNA) is crucial for withstanding the high temperatures during PCR. In summary, without any of these components, the PCR reaction cannot proceed effectively.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: bioavailability. Bioavailability refers to the extent and rate at which a drug reaches its site of action in the body. This includes factors such as absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. Rationale: 1. Bioactivity refers to the pharmacological effect of a drug, not how effectively it reaches its site of action. 2. Bioremediation is the process of using organisms to remove or neutralize pollutants, not related to drug delivery. 3. Biostasis refers to a state of equilibrium or balance in living organisms, not related to drug transport to its site of action. In summary, bioavailability is the most appropriate term as it specifically addresses the process of a drug reaching its intended target within the body, distinguishing it from the other choices.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: sporadic disease. Infection of several persons without any epidemiological link is considered sporadic because it occurs in a random and isolated manner, with no clear pattern or connection between cases. It is not classified as an epidemic (A) because it does not involve a sudden increase in the number of cases within a specific population. It is also not endemic (C) as endemic diseases are constantly present in a particular region or population. Lastly, it is not a pandemic (D) which refers to a global outbreak affecting a large number of people across different countries.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because all measures mentioned are important in preventing hospital-acquired infections. Isolating the source helps prevent the spread of infections. Isolating at-risk patients reduces their exposure. Increasing patient resistance to infections through proper hygiene and immunizations minimizes susceptibility. Each measure plays a crucial role in infection prevention, making all options correct.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Antitoxic serum. In the neutralization reaction to identify botulinum toxin, antitoxic serum is used to neutralize the toxin in white mice. Antitoxic serum contains antibodies that specifically target and neutralize the botulinum toxin. Normal serum (B) does not contain the necessary antibodies to neutralize the toxin. Antibacterial serum (C) is not effective against toxins like botulinum. Diagnosticum (D) is a general term and does not specifically refer to the biological product required for this reaction.